Sometimes in baseball, the media overuses the term “crucial series” in the regular season. But make no mistake, the San Diego Padres taking on the Arizona Diamondbacks in a four-game set at Chase Field this week is crucial for both teams.
From the Padres’ perspective, a series sweep causes a direct swing in the Wild-Card postseason standings. Heading into tonight’s contest, one game separates the Friars from the Philadelphia Phillies and D-Backs atop the standings. The winner of this series could
create their own path to securing a postseason berth.
Taking the mound: Michael King (SD) vs Brandon Pfaadt (Ariz)
How crucial is this four-game set? San Diego pushed Michael King (6-7, 3.38 ERA) back a day from his scheduled start. No question, the club wants to set the tone by having its best starting pitcher on the mound for the series opener.
It does not hurt that King is 3-0 with a 1.05 ERA in five career starts against Arizona. Over the last month, he has pitched well; King is 1-0 with a 3.51 ERA. The right-hander had four no-decisions in July, his lone victory against the Diamondbacks at Petco Park on July 8.
The Snakes will counter with Brandon Pfaadt (5-1, 4.00 ERA) tonight. He struggled at the start of the season and was sent back to the minors.
The D-Backs minor league pitching coordinators shortened his delivery and moved Pfaadt to the first-base side of the rubber. Suddenly, everything began clicking for the starter. Injuries to the rotation forced Arizona to call up Pfaadt. He has been outstanding, going 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA.
The right-hander is poised to increase the D-Backs’ Wild-Card lead over the Padres with a home win this evening.
Offensive trends
The Friars head into the desert going 9-1 on their recent homestand. The offense has come alive since the All-Star break. The team’s batting average has risen by 9 points during this hot streak. The lineup is leaning on Jackson Merrill, who has been the Padres’ primary run-producer (19 hits, 5 HRs, 12 RBIs, and 19 runs scored).
The D-Backs had their own offensive resurgence. It began on July 9 following a series in San Diego. They went on a tear, going 14-6 and scoring a league-high 118 runs during this stretch. It propelled them back in the Wild-Card chase.
This is a crucial series because the number of remaining games is dwindling between both teams.
